What Dubai Hills Estate is
According to Emaar Community Management, Dubai Hills Estate is a 2,700-acre mixed-use development within Mohammed Bin Rashid City, developed as a joint venture between Emaar Properties and Meraas. It combines residential neighbourhoods with commercial and retail space, parks and an 18-hole championship golf course, and it includes Dubai Hills Mall.
It is a freehold area, so foreigners can own villas, townhouses and apartments there.
Villas or apartments
- Villas and townhouses are in gated neighbourhoods, some on the golf course. Several neighbourhoods are complete and trade on the resale market, and Emaar and other developers release new villa phases.
- Apartments are mainly around the park, the mall and the boulevard, from Emaar and from boutique developers such as Ellington (Ellington House) and H&H (Eden House Dubai Hills). Wellington Developments builds custom villas in the community.
Buyers looking for a family home often compare Dubai Hills with Arabian Ranches and Tilal Al Ghaf. Investors usually compare the rental demand of a Dubai Hills apartment with a similar unit in Business Bay or JVC.
What to check in Dubai Hills
- Which neighbourhood. Distance to the mall, park and schools changes the price and the rentability of otherwise similar homes.
- Handover dates for off-plan phases as published in the SPA and the DLD project status service.
- Service charges for the building or community, using the DLD Service Charge Index.
- Resale alternatives. Because many neighbourhoods are complete, compare each launch with a ready home you can see today.
Developers with projects in Dubai Hills Estate
- Emaar PropertiesMaster developer · Downtown, Dubai Hills, Creek Harbour, Emaar Beachfront
- Ellington PropertiesLuxury & premium · Dubai Hills, Palm Jumeirah, JVC
- H&H DevelopmentLuxury & premium · Dubai Water Canal, Za'abeel, Dubai Hills
- Wellington DevelopmentsLuxury & premium · Dubai Hills, Dubai Islands
Frequently asked questions
Who developed Dubai Hills Estate?
Dubai Hills Estate is a joint venture between Emaar Properties and Meraas, and Emaar Community Management manages the community. Emaar develops most of the residential neighbourhoods, and other developers, including Ellington, H&H Development and Wellington Developments, have built projects within it. It forms part of Mohammed Bin Rashid City in Dubai.
Is Dubai Hills Estate freehold?
Yes. Dubai Hills Estate is a freehold community, so non-UAE nationals can buy villas, townhouses and apartments there with full ownership registered by the Dubai Land Department. Buyers of any nationality can purchase, including non-residents, and UAE banks lend on completed homes there subject to the Central Bank's loan-to-value limits.
Should I buy off-plan or ready in Dubai Hills Estate?
It depends on your timeline and financing. Ready homes in completed neighbourhoods can be inspected and let at once, and banks lend up to 80% for an expat first home under AED 5 million. Off-plan phases spread payments over construction, but mortgage lending on off-plan is capped at 50% of the value.
Get a shortlist for Dubai Hills Estate
Tell Tarek your budget, timeline and whether you want to live in the home, rent it out or apply for a Golden Visa. He will send matching launches and ready alternatives with the full cost of each, and check registration and escrow with you before you pay.
Sources
- About Dubai Hills Estate, Emaar Community Management. Checked 30 September 2026.
- Frequently Asked Questions (escrow, registration, brokers, service charges), Dubai Land Department. Checked 30 September 2026.
- Real Estate Project Status service, Dubai Land Department. Checked 30 September 2026.
- Regulations Regarding Mortgage Loans (Circular 31/2013, as amended), Central Bank of the UAE Rulebook. Checked 30 September 2026.